Grounded
by FOXGIRL200
Summary: Jo does something she's not supposed to...and surprisingly it's Tori who doesn't react well...


Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

Jessica and Joanne West were anything but your average girls next door; being Jade West's sisters had given her quite a reputation among the girls of Hollywood Arts. They were beautiful, if not a bit…odd, unusual. Hey, don't look at me; you've read the stories. Jess was, in many ways, a mini Jade: temperamental, vengeful, caffeine addicted, and a gifted singer, while Jo was a chronic prankster, a jokester working her way through severe emotional instability stemming from a particularly severe accident she'd been involved in at the age of fourteen…An accident that had almost taken her leg. Their respective boyfriends- -Kaiten and August Jones- -were among the special few trusted with the knowledge of their past. Hey, they stayed even after Jade threatened each of them with castration, murder…and anything else she could think of. I think that deserves an award. Unlike most girls their age, Jessica and Joanne- -Jess and Jo for short- -did not reside with their parents but rather with their elder sister and sister-in-law in a two story house that once housed their deceased parents. Jo was described as a carbon copy of her father while Jess was a mixture of both parents. The two were unlike and pair of seventeen year olds, partially due to having Jade West and Tori Vega as role models. The result: two completely out of their mind teenagers with even crazier personal lives. Jo loved reading and writing her own stories and Jess was a master make-over wizard- -note the sarcasm.

The girls (Jo) had gotten into a more than a fair amount of trouble over the years- -usually nothing serious- -but somehow managed to dig a hole halfway to China. Jo was a joker, a prankster and, at times, a bit of a pain in the butt, but that was all part of her West charm. August was her second in command, partner in crime…the ying to her yang. You think I'm exaggerating? I'm not. While most couples were planning dates and buying presents, Jogust was pulling pranks and watching horror movies. Many thought them odd; sixteen and still playing hide and seek? Using coloring books? Hell, there were those who caught the two eating unhealthy amounts of candy just for the fun. Jess and Kaiten were the exact opposite- -the classic overly affectionate couple, Jess and Kaiten were often spotted trading kisses and pet names. Gross! Jo had to restrain herself from vomiting whenever the four were in a room together. To Jess, Jo was…interesting. I mean, what girl doesn't love flowers, candy, and cuddling. Joanne April West, that's who! I mean, Jo wasn't opposed to cuddling…but she'd never admit it! And being that Jo and Jess were practically carbon copies of Jade just reinforced her stubbornness.

Tori had somehow gotten trapped in the middle of Westland.

Tori Vega often played mediator between the West girls during their daily feuds about any and everything under the sun: coffee, boys, pranks…Jess trying to get Jo and Jade to wear panti- -those things whose name shall never be spoken in any fic written by this author! Arguments were no rare occurrence in their home; if there was no fighting, someone was automatically presumed unwell. Moving on… fifteen years, one wedding, two boyfriends, and countless threats of violence by scissors, and the Vega/West family had become known as the "Crazy family from down the block". Granted the name was perfect for them. All that aside, it's time for today's story.

XXXX

"Is she still alive…?" Jess said, shoveling apple sauce into her mouth.

"Oh…goody…what did you do this time?" Jade asked, a coffee mug already in her hands.

"What…why is it always my fault?! She was like this when I woke up!"

"Well…" Jade said, "Jo is knocked out, it's almost 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday, she didn't wake up for breakfast- -bacon and coffee. _And_ I have knowledge of the prank she pulled on you the day before Tori and I got back from our honeymoon last week." Jade took another swig of coffee. The taste was heaven on her tongue. So much better than the decaf crap she and Tori had been forced to drink at the hotel days before their return to the house. "That knowledge combined with the image before me leads me to believe that you, Jessica Ariel West, have done something to your sister."

"Are you sure you're not a lawyer…?" Jess asked.

"Jessica Ariel- -"

"NO! No, no, no! This is not a full name situation! I did nothing!"

"Guys…shut up, I'm sleepy…" Jo's words held a sleep induced slur unlike any Jade had ever heard.

"Well…at least she ain't dead." Jade said.

"Yeah…I'm not sure how we'd explain _that_ one to the cops." Jess said.

"Easy…'it wasn't me.'"

Jess settled herself at the other end of the couch by Jo's feet, careful not to disturb her already fast asleep twin. It was highly unlike Jo to sleep in _this_ late on a Saturday- -but eventually Jo would wake up for her daily dose of 1,000 ways to die and Looney Toons. Jo was predictable…to an almost painful extent. Wake up…go to school…pull a prank before lunch…play with August, go home, terrorize Jess and Jade, talk to August on the phone, get ready for bed, sleep…repeat. At times, a there would be a minor shake up, but that was all part Joanne's charm. August was late for his and Jo's weekly movie marathon…the unusual, strange considering Jogust's shared love of gore and unwillingness to miss even a moment of the bloody gore that was a highly liked television show. Jess reclined against the back of the couch. Was something wrong with them? Were they fighting? Hell, there was no telling with those two. Tori walked in with a large glass of water…and tossed the water directly into Jo's face. WHAT?! Jo coughed, sputtered, and gasped as though her air supply had been cut off. To Jess, it was…absolutely amazing. Wonderfully hilarious. I mean Tori Vega-West doing something so delightfully naughty? Awesome... And the fact that Jo looked like a drowned rat…priceless! Jess was in heaven.

"What the hell Tori?" Jade exclaimed, even as she doubled over in laughter.

"Joanne April West…why is there a shirtless boy in the bath tub?" Tori asked through tightly clenched teeth.

Oh…crap…

Jo looked ad Jess who looked at Jade who looked at Tori who looked at all three of them like she was about to raise hell.

"Well…?"

"Um…he came out of the faucet…?"

Joanne West was never one to lie well under pressure, especially when August was involved- -you remember the whole "August is just a myth" incident. She was a joker, a prankster but, a horrible, unconvincing, panicked overacting failure of a liar. Even at sixteen years of age, Jo's inability to keep a straight face during an attempt at lying was the source of many a good laugh at her expense, and many ruined surprise. Tori's face was unreadable, angry; she even somehow managed to pull off the West eyebrow arch that had struck fear into the hearts and minds of thousands. She was furious; more so than Jo had ever seen. Jo was screwed. What was Tori thinking? What was going to happen? Oh, no, no, no…Jo shrunk back into the couch cousins and curled into the fetal positions against Jess' back- -Jess could be a human shield- -and closed her eyes. Count to ten…breathe…count to ten…breathe! _Don't hurt me…don't hurt me…do NOT hurt me…!_ Jess actually shrunk back behind Jade in her attempt to avoid Tori's wrath. And Jade just sat with mouth open and eyes wide. Boys had an always been a no-no in Jade's eyes; you remember all the castration threats and angry outburst. I mean, you read the stories, you saw her infamous temper rear its ugly head. Tori always seemed like the calm, sensible one. But looking at Tori now, Jo completely understood why Jade did any and everything that was requested of her; Tori was terrifying.

"Joanne…April…West…"

"Okay! Okay…August came over yesterday and we stayed up late and we, ummm, fell asleep on the couch…"

"Damn…the girl's bold." Jess said.

"The bath tub…?" Tori asked.

"I guess he woke up and…hid so you wouldn't find him." Jo was in deep doggie doo.

"Jade…"

"Yes, Tori?" Jade asked a slight tremble in her voice.

"Where are your scissors?"

"NO…! I mean, can't you just ground me and leave him alone, please?"

"Anne…you are in so much trouble…but first…get your boyfriend out of the tub." Tori said.

XXXX

Joanne West had never one been as terrified as she was watching Jade and Tori confront August upon awakening him from his slumber; she felt his fear. He was afraid, worried and some other third thing that meant no happy; but August was way, way worst. Calm on the outside, a complete wreck on the inside, August and Jo sat through a twenty minute lecture (yelling session on Tori's part. Jade, for once, was calm). I know! Never thought I'd see myself type that.

"What were you thinking, Jo? We talked about this." Jade said.

"I'm sorry…"

"No, no…Jade, Tori…don't blame Jo; it was my fault. I-I stayed later than I should have. I knew exactly what I was doing…and I didn't care about getting in trouble." August actually whimpered as Tori lunged at him, only to be held back by Jade. Jo clung to August's shoulder like a lifeline, as if somehow that would stop the hell that they were surely about to face. Of course, that was pointless, Tori was on the warpath. Jade was actually a little frightened…yet somehow, she was also very attracted to this side of Tori.

"Jade…please punish your sister; I'm getting some apple juice…!" Tori stormed off to the kitchen.

"So…" Jo said carefully, "will three months cover it…?"

"Yeah…that sounds about right…as for you!" Jade's gaze shifted to August. "I suggest you go home; I have a feeling your parents are wondering where you are…" the phone rang then, as if on cue.

"It's the Jones'!" Jess called from the kitchen.

Jade picked up the phone.

She handed the phone to August.

August pressed his ear to the speaker.

And all hell broke loose.

"H-hello…?"

" _AUGUST EARNEST JONES! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING AT JOANNE'S HOUSE?! WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU AND CALLING YOU ALL DAY!"_

"Ummm…my phone died…" August laughed nervously.

" _Get home…right…now…"_

"Yes, mama."

"I'll see you at school…?"

"Well, if I live 'til Monday…bye Joker." He left then.

"Bye…"

Jade saw Jo's downtrodden expression and sighed. "Oh…don't look so down…JoJo, I'm sure Tori will calm down…eventually."

"When did you two switch personalities…" Jo asked.

"I'm not sure." Jade said. "But I doubt it'll last long. Come on let's go reason with the beast formerly known as Tori."


End file.
